A rather frustrating day yesterday, with Steventon Star beaten little more than half a length, but still not landing the place-only money, and Thunderball similarly afflicted despite running a cracker later on. Ho-hum.
Today's card looks marginally less trappy, and best bet on the day is James Fanshawe's Shwaiman in the Mallard Handicap at 14:10. The selection is a fast-improving sort who proved the handicapper's initial assessment to be woefully wide of the mark when absolutely running away with a C&D event on his handicap bow last month. As a son of Authorized, he's bred to relish plenty of give underfoot, and that looks to be the key factor at play.
This is a race full of talented performers, but the vast majority simply do not handle soft ground, with Semeen and Time Foe Action already taken out, and Tropical Beat having missed the Ebor on account of the ground. Pether's Moon is another to have race almost exclusively on a sound surface, and it's hard to be confident that either of that pair will be able to show their best form. With Camborne, Songcraft and Tenenbaum handicapped to the hilt, this really does look gift-wrapped for Shwaiman, even before the form of the Fanshawe yard (18 winners from 45 runners since early August) is taken into account. An even-money poke on my tissue, it's a case of filling your boots at quotes of 9/4 and 5/2 this morning.
The Doncaster Cup also gives Fanshawe claims via High Jinx, who was runner-up to Times Up last year, but hasn't looked the heartiest since. The fitting of a tongue tie suggests that his high head carriage may be down to a slight wind infirmity rather than anything more sinister, and he may well bounce back. Preference, however, is for Biographer, for whom easy ground and a test of stamina are prerequisites, and he's rarely had conditions in his favour.
The going was probably plenty fast enough for Biographer when he ran well over two miles at Sandown on Eclipse day, and while the rain came just in time in the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury, the drop to 13 furlongs was all against him. Back up to the sort of trip he's been crying out for (he was, you may recall, a late non runner in the Ascot Gold Cup), he can justify his trainer's high opinion of him.
The May Hill has been a Godolphin benefit in recent years, with Certify and White Moonstone both impressive winners having also taken Newmarket's Sweet Solera along the way. Attempting an identical feat this time is Ihtimal, who is closely matched with Qawaasem on a line through Midnite Angel, who was second at Newmarket, and then fourth in the Prestige at Goodwood. Ihtimal looks the one who will be most suited by the extra yardage today, though, and should handle softer going, being a daughter of Shamardal, who gets more than his share of easy-ground winners.
Godolphin's apparent second-string Majeyda can't be ruled out, but looks likely to be isolated on the outside, her low draw exacerbated by the fact that "tuck in" is a phrase which Mickael Barzalona has yet to master in his second language. The jockey also gave her a poor ride when beaten in the Empress Stakes at Newmarket in June, which doesn't do her justice, but his continued presence in the saddle is a sticking point, for me at least.
Recommendations:
All at Doncaster
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